Inventory Site Forms: Sample 2 – Gavelton

	MICROFICHE REFERENCE NUMBER:
STREET ADDRESS: Gavel Road #1114 CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE: Gavelton MUNICIPALITY: Argyle COUNTY: Yarmouth

PRESENT OWNER: Betty Gavel/Russell & Dorothy Robinson
Note: See date of compilation at end of form

ADDRESS: 11 Bellevue Ave., Winchester Mass., 01890 USA

ORIGINAL OWNER: John Gavel 1st? or Nicholas Lawrence?

OCCUPATION: Fisherman & farmer

BUILDER: Unknown

ORIGINAL USE: Residential PRESENT USE: Residential

YEAR BUILT: ca. 1787-1800

 

ARCHITECTURAL COMMENT:

This house is vernacular in style. It is a one and a half storey house of wood frame construction with a steeply pitched roof. The house has a symmetrical three bay facade with its central doorway being located in the central one and a half storey pushout that projects from the facade of the house. All the windows and doors have ornamental hoods above.

HISTORICAL COMMENT:

This house was the original homestead of John Gavel 1st, a loyalist from New York who settled at Gavelton in 1784-85. He passed the house on to his son John Gavel 2nd, who was married in 1799. It is also important to note that this house does not sit on the lot of land which was granted to John Gavel 1st, but on the land that was granted to another Loyalist, Nicholas Lawrence. Nicholas Lawrence did live on his land and did build a house. The records of the Court of General Sessions record at least one instance when a session of court was held in his house at Gavelton. John Gavel 1st purchased this land from Nicholas Lawrence on 1 Feb. 1796, and Nicholas Lawrence removed from the area. The Doane Family, 4th ed., 1984, pp.204-205, says of Mary (Gavel) (Raynard) Doane, that “She outlived her husband and spent her last years at the home of Smith Lent, on her father’s old homestead at Tusket Lakes, where she was born.” Mary was a daughter of John Gavel 1st. Her birth date is not known, but she married for the 1st time on 31 July 1808. It has long been the tradition amongst the oldest residents of Gavelton that this is the oldest house in the community, and there are at least two other houses in the community dating from the 1830s. It is known that this was the home of John Gavel 2nd, or “Deacon John Gavel.” He left the property to his youngest daughter, Eliza B. Gavel, who married Abram Smith Lent. In the 1871 census return the previously mentioned Mary (Gavel) (Raynard) Doane is found living with this couple. They owned the property until 1899. There have been several owners since. The current owners are direct descendants of John Gavel 1st, through his son, John Gavel 2nd. This is one of the oldest properties in the Municipality of Argyle, and would be worthy of closer inspection by an architect who might be able to determine what alterations have been made to the building over the years.

CONTEXTUAL COMMENT:

This house has not been substantially altered within memory. It occupies a stunning lot on the waters of Lake Vaughn, Yarmouth County, NS.

HISTORY OF BUILDING

OWNER	FROM – TO	OCCUPATION	BOOK / PAGE
Gavel, Betty & Robinson, Russell	12 May 1967 – Present	Retired	G.V. 149
Doane, Kendric & Muriel	25 Nov 1962 – 12 May 1967	Unknown	G.U. 101
Heirs of Mrs. Emma J. Allen	2 Jul 1958 – 25 Nov 1962	Heirs	Est. #176
Allen, Emma J.	1 Apr 1933 – 2 Jul 1958	Housewife	Est. #98
Allen, Charles L.	15 Sep 1913 – 1 Apr 1933	Farmer	D.D. 431
Raynard, Staley B.	2 Jan 1899 – 15 Sep 1913	Yeoman	C.K. 486
Lent, Eliza B.	29 Apr 1894 – 2 Jan 1899	Housewife	Est. #3118
Lent, Abram Smith	27 Aug 1847 – 29 Apr 1894	School teacher	no recorded deed
Gavel, Eliza B.	27 Aug 1847 – 27 Aug 1847	Housewife	Est. #2030
Gavel, John 2nd	30 Oct 1809 – 27 Aug 1847	Farmer & Deacon	Est. #2041
Gavel, John 1st	1 Feb 1796 – 30 Oct 1809	Yeoman/Loyalist	B. #147
Lawrence, Nicholas	Unknown – 1 Feb 1796	Yeoman/Loyalist	original grantee

SOURCES: Yarmouth County Deeds & Probate records; Doane Family 4th ed., 1984, p.204-205; Argus vol3 no.3; 1871 census return; Gavel Papers at the Argyle Township Court House & Archives; land grant records

Compiled by: Jerry A. Titus

Date: March 1, 1995